I've gotten some serious backlash and hits, since I posted my response the other night, on the GNH board, to Penderite. His post was addressed to me and reflective of a personal rivalary he and I share away from Agoracom, with our hockey teams. Although his thoughts on the escalating violence in the NHL, were public and for others to contemplate, I took his post to be frustration directed at me....thus my rather flip response. He and I have been anticipating our teams matching up for several months now, just as George and I are eager for a PIT/BOS showdown.

I am not an advocate of violence. But I do recognize that this is the Stanley Cup playoffs and we're gonna see the good, the bad and the nasty. The passion, intensity and physicality of these 8 teams, is unprecedented in many ways. The playoffs are a difficult time to try and stop a runaway train. No doubt others share the same opinion, on the intentional violence and it will be reviewed in the off season and harsh penalties put into place. In my neck of the woods, the refs are doing what they can to allow great playoff hockey, without all hell breaking loose. We came close on Monday night.

While I'm being stoned, I might as well ask.... To the VAN/PIT fans, I can't help but wonder, if your views would be slightly tempered, if you were 3 up on your opponents???

OG